Holder for containers



Patentedy Nov. 21, 1944 ai@ f nomma' fron conrarnans u, V l y' l". "North ArlingtongfNJ.' ,l .l v l Application octoberfs, 1942,1sr1s1riol`4coszs y f jiciaixnfjtcl.patint' f" n therother. within avcounterl. i counter. 6 has This invention relates to h'olders for containers;

VIce cream containers whichv areloca'ted in drug storesvarnd the likebonsist usually of a plurality of elongatedcylindrical'- bodies which are located one next to the=other,"-each container being used for the ice cream of one flavor. The attendant dispenses ice cream from these containers by means of a spoon or scoop. f

It was found that the outer surfaces of these containersare often covered with moisture and are very slippery. An attendant who desires to vremove some of the ice cream with his scoop will This rotation turn or rotate these containers.

" while ice cream is being scooped out, thereby im.

impedes his work and slows up the dispensing of the ice cream to a considerable extent.

An object of the present inventionis to eliminate this sliding, turning or rotary motion of ice cream containers and the like, bythe useof 'f a holder specially constructed for this purpose.

Another object is the provision of a holder for cylindrical containers or the like, which is` inexpensive to manufacture and easy to operate and which effectively prevents the turning of f l containers while their contents are being dispensed.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent in the Vcourse of the following specification.

In accomplishing the objects of the present in7 ventiomit was found desirable to provide one or more springs or other resilient elements which elastically or yieldably engage a cylindrical side surface of acontainer andthe ends of which', are mounted upon two separate arms or framelike elements which are pivotally. connected to each other and which may swing toward or away from each other.

The invention will appear more clearlyr from the following detailed description when 1taken in yconnection with the accompanying drawing showing,by way of example, a preferred embodiment of the idea.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a perspective view ofa container holder constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

Figure 2 y illustrates the arrangement of the vcontainer holder between two containers and is I a horizontal section along the line 2-2-of Figure 3. i

Figure 3 is a vertical section along the line The drawing shows two cylindrical containers 4 and 5 which may be used for dispensing ice cream or the like and which are located one Y next to one of the covers and inserting his `scoop (not shown) through one of the openings 9 or I0 into the interior of a container situated directly below the opening.

`The container would usually turn or rotate peding-the work of the attendant and causingy a waste of time ,and energy.

In accordance with the present invention, this turning of the containers 4`and 5 is avoided by. a container holder which is shwn separately in Figure 1 of the drawing and whichcomprises `two rectangular frames I3 and I4. 20

The frame I3 includes an yupper transverse element I5,'a lower transverse element I6, and vertical elements Il and I8 joining the elements I5 and I6. f v

The frame I4 is similar in form to the frame I3 andy comprises` transverse elements IllA and 20 joined by vertical elements 2l and 22.

The two frames I 3 and I4 are joined to each other by an elongated pivot 23, theupper end of .which extends through the transverse elementsA I5 and. I9 intermediate their ends. The lower'end of the pivot 23 extends through the middle of the transverse elements I6 vand 20.

Ther projecting ends ofthe pivot 23 are riveted over to prevent the pivotgfrom falling out.

The'v resilient and elastic members engaging the side walls of the containers consist of two vsprings `24 and 25.

' Eachof the springs 24 and 25 has the form of an elongated coil spring, the two ends of which are rmly attached to adjacent vertical ele-- vments of two different frames.y For instance, the

spring 24- has one end connectedto the vertical f element I8 of the frame I3, while its other end is connected to the vertical element 2I of the frame I4. Similarly, one end of the spring 25 is connected to the vertical element` Il of the `frame' l3,"whi1e vits otherend is connected to the vertical element`22 of the frame I4. The

springs are preferably located at the same level substantially in the middleof the frame.

Obviously, the arrangement or the number of the springs may be changed at will, and the replaced by elastic straps 'or the illustrated container holder are shown in Figures 2 and 3. The user moves the frames of the container holder toward each other in such a manner that the vertical element 2l is moved toward the element I1, and the element I8 is moved toward the element 22. Then the springs` 24 and 25 are extended while the holder is sufficiently attened so that it can be conveniently inserted into the comparatively narrow space between the containers 4 and 5 (Fig. 2). When the user releases the frames, the springs 24 will tend to move the element 2| toward the element. i8, while the spring 25 will try to bring th'e'f' elements Il'and 22 closer together. At the same time, the spring 24 will embrace a part of the 25 will similarly engage the container 5. The

. circumference of the container 4, While the spring two springs 24 and 25 will remain in frictional' engagement with the walls of the two containers 4 and 5 and will hold the containers in place, so

that they will not .be rotatedr or turned Whilel their contents are being removed.

It is apparent that the invention shown above has been given by way of illustration and not by way of limitation, andthat the article above described is subject to Wide variations and modifications without departing from the scope or intent of the present invention. All of such variations and modifications are to be included within the scope of the present invention,

What is claimedr is:

A holder for containers and the like, comprising two like rigid open rectangular frames vertically arranged in pivotal relation, each of said frames having corresponding upper and lower horizontal elements in axially overlapping contacting relation, and a vertical pivot extending through the overlap at the median point of said horizontal elements of the frames, and parallel vertical elements extending between said horifzonta-l elements and connected thereto, and

spring elements connecting opposed correspond- =ingrvertica1 elements of the respective frames on opposite sides of the pivot,V said spring elements being adapted to frictionally engage said containers and being deformed inwardly thereby, whereby the containers are prevented from rotating. l

ALBERT MANNING.

ANDREW ONUSKA 

